FOXBOROUGH - So, if you believe Bill Belichick, the Patriots wanted Jakobi Meyers back. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t.
But I can tell you they wanted JuJu Smith-Schuster more, and that’s why the former Steeler and Chief is the team’s highest-paid wide receiver, essentially making the same money as Meyers got from the Raiders. Does that mesh with what Belichick said at the podium Wednesday when he claimed Meyers was a “priority”? Yeah, me neither. More importantly, Belichick’s view of history differs from how Meyers and his people saw it. A source I spoke with from Meyers’ camp said they were “surprised” to hear Belichick categorize the two sides as close - “relatively” was Bill's exact word - to extending the former UDFA’s time in New England.
Meyers isn’t the second coming of Julian Edelman or Wes Welker in the slot. Both were automatics, But he was a good player here - a constant - and has remained a good player in Vegas, forming an excellent one-two punch with Davante Adams. Many across the league thought Meyers was a slam dunk to stay a Patriot, as much for what he represented - a homegrown success story - as for his leadership, production, and comfort in whatever they were running. Think about it - the 26-year-old survived Tom Brady’s demand for perfection in an offense Brady had co-authored, then thrived with Cam Newton, Mac Jones, and Bailey Zappe.
“A lot of confidence in him, lot of confidence in whatever the situation is - third downs, early downs, red zone - he a very dependable catcher of the ball,” said Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels Wednesday. “He’s really learned how to become a complete player at that position. Earlier in his career, (he was) a little bit more of an inside player, and now I think he understands who he is and what he has to do when he’s outside versus when he’s inside. He thinks all the way through the game. If somebody has seen a route one time, maybe he’ll change it up and do a little something different. Just a productive player in every role. Does a lot of tough and physical things in the running game. Goes in there and blocks the force, and the down safety, so he’s involved in that aspect also. Very unselfish guy.”
“Jakobi has always had a good skillset in terms of hands and quickness,” said Raiders offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, who was Meyers’ position coach in New England. “He changed his body, formed a routine, very dedicated to his craft, and just overall, his knowledge of defenses and defensive structures, and how to run routes and releases has improved so much, and is still improving.”
Call me crazy, but that sounds exactly like the kind of player the Patriots have loved in the past and rewarded. But Meyers never felt like he was a priority - sorry, Bill - and jumped at the opportunity to join McDaniels, Lombardi, and the other ex-Pats in Vegas. It’s been a successful union so far. The likable wideout is on pace for career-highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, with a stat line of 25/274/3 through four games (he missed one with a concussion).
“I’m hungry,” said Meyers this week. “I want to be great.”
Meanwhile, Smith-Schuster will likely miss this weekend’s game as he, too, recovers from a concussion. As of right now, it’s not much of a loss. Not only has there been very little in the way of production - 14 catches, 86 yards - Smith-Schuster’s shown none of the explosiveness and run-after catch that the Pats touted when they signed him. In addition, his knee, which I reported was problematic for his previous teams and others exploring the wideout before free agency, has been a prominent issue despite the player’s assurance that he’s 100%. I appreciate not making excuses, but it’s right there for anyone to see.
Belichick offered little when asked about Smith-Schuster’s lack of production.
“We haven’t been very productive offensively, period,” he said. “I’d be hard-pressed to single out one guy.”
That point is hard to argue. But what we can say - and I did before, during, and after free agency - is why the Pats let a good player walk when they were willing to spend some money at the position. Their belief of an upgrade has yet to come to fruition, and it doesn't appear that it will any time soon. It's just another swing-and-miss in roster management and construction that the Pats feel even more than they'll ever let on.
(More examples of Meyers doing what he does below)